The present invention relates to bayonet coupling for an electrical connector and, more specifically, to an electrical connector member having bayonet pins thereon.
The use of bayonet coupling arrangements in the electrical connector art is well known. Typically, a bayonet coupling nut is rotatably mounted on a shell of the plug connector member. The nut has bayonet grooves formed in its interior surface opening to the front of the nut. When the plug connector member is mated with the receptacle connector member of the assembly, bayonet pins on the receptacle shell enter the bayonet slots of the nut. Rotation of the nut draws the plug and connector members together into mating relationship.
The shells of the connector members of the typical electrical connector assembly and the coupling nut thereof, are formed of metal, and each shell contains an insulative insert in which the electrical contacts of the connector are mounted. The use of separate metal shells and insulative inserts adds to the cost of the connector, and the metal shells and coupling nut add to the weight of the connector. It is desirable for some applications to make the connector members of one-piece plastic bodies in which the contacts are mounted, thereby reducing the cost and weight of the connector. However, plastic bayonet pins on the receptacle connector member are not capable of withstanding a large number of couplings of the two connector halves due to the softness of the plastic material. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,029,406 and 3,182,280 teach the use of plastic connector members in which individual metal bayonet pins are embedded in one of the members. However, in each case, the pins may loosen in the plastic body of the connector member after repeated couplings and uncouplings thereof with the mating connector half.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to mount metal bayonet pins on an insulative connector body in a manner which will overcome the disadvantages of the prior art connector arrangements disclosed hereinabove.